Oops
by sooperspicy386
Summary: Through boredom and accidents, 15 year old Goten sends himself and Trunks 20 years into the past. With a broken time machine, they need the help of Bulma to send them back to their time, all while trying to keep their identities a secret.
1. Chapter 1

"Argh!" Boom, smash, SLAM. Two bodies flew across the room, crashing into the wall. "Turn it off!"

Hands searched for buttons to push to save themselves from a serious predicament. The room the boys were in began to tumble down, down, down. "I can't!"

Then, the room boomed, smashed, SLAMMED into the side of Son Goku's house.

The two boys laid still, eyes wide and hearts pounding, when the room stopped turning. "Trunks, what just happened?"

Trunks looked around the messy room and shakily stood. His temper rose when he put together the very recent events. He forced himself to stay calm as he walked over to the control panel. All it took was a second glance at the date and time for him to lash out at the other boy.

"Goten, you idiot!" Trunks growled and began to push several buttons in hopes of rebooting the machine. Nothing. He pushed more buttons furiously. The machine made an odd noise, and then died completely. "Damn it!"

"I'm confused," said Goten, brushing the debris off his person.

Trunks face palmed. "Before this thing died, it said we were about 20 years in the past. This is a _time machine_ Goten, and now it's broken. Guess what that means, moron?"

The seriousness of the situation seemed to dawn upon Goten as he looked downward, crestfallen. Trunks started running numbers through his head. 20 years in the past meant that neither he nor Goten were born yet, nonetheless thought about. Gohan had to be around 8 years old, which meant Goku was still around. He doubted Mirai Trunks had visited the Z-Fighters yet, but wasn't too sure. Regardless, he began to think of a plan.

"My mom built this thing, so she should be able to fix it. I don't want to freak them out, so we should probably change our identities," mused Trunks.

"Well what should we call ourselves? And what are we? Brothers? Cousins? Friends?" Goten asked, wanting to avoid any holes in their story.

Trunks scratched his head. "We can be cousins. My name will be… umm… Saru and yours can be Bikou." ((A/N: Saru means monkey, Bikou means tail). Dumb names, I know)

Goten blinked. "Those are stupid names."

"Well you're stupid for getting us in here in the first place, so deal with it while we go find my mom." Trunks walked out the door. He regretted the move instantly.

A half circle of people stood outside the machine, staring up at it curiously. Trunks recognized Goku, Chi-chi, Krillin, Bulma, Piccolo and Vegeta. A small boy stood next to Goku, so Trunks assumed the boy to be Gohan. He turned his head and found that the machine left a significant dent in the side of Goku's house. A few balloons tied to the mailbox suggested a celebration of some sort. Trunks didn't know what for, he just wanted to be back in his room, away from the hundreds of questions he was about to answer.

"Who are you?" Vegeta demanded. Trunks gulped. This could take a while.

_Sixteen year old Trunks Brief sat on the edge of his bed, apple in one hand, notebook in the other. Goten sat on the floor, staring at his own notebook. Both boys frowned._

_"I'm bored." Goten whined. Trunks agreed, but didn't want to get distracted and fail the next test. Goten frowned deeper when Trunks continued to munch on his apple and flip through the pages. "C'mon Trunks, we could just take a short break. Your parents aren't even home yet so they won't notice."_

_No response._

_"I know you want toooo."_

_Trunks clenched his teeth and glared at Goten. "Look, you take all the breaks you want, but I'm not getting assigned extra work outs with my dad just because you're bored." He looked back down at his notes and tried to take in the most information._

_Like a child, Goten crossed his arms and pouted. "Fine, I'm going downstairs." His pout suddenly transformed into a calculating grin as he stood up. "Maybe I'll go into the lab too; there are plenty of things down there to mess with."_

_Trunks now faced a dilemma. He could either let Goten roam around lots of expensive and important equipment, while continuing his own studios manner, or he could supervise Goten's explorations and fail the test. A third option, and arguably the best one, hit him only seconds too late as Goten was already halfway down the stairs when Trunks realized he could tackle the boy into submission._

_He growled in a very Vegeta-like manner, thumped his apple core and notebook onto his comforter, and headed towards the lab._

_"I knew you'd agree with me," grinned Goten when Trunks entered the lab, the automatic doors closing behind him with a whoosh. Trunks grunted and folded his arms._

_"Just don't touch anything, alright?"_

_Goten grinned and walked further and further into the off-limits. _


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So, I realize that Mirai Trunks should be there because Goku is there but… It's called fan_ fiction_ right? (heh…) This is set a few months before M. Trunks arrives, and the gang is celebrating that Goku is back. They are allowed some down time, I guess. Sorry about the plot hole

"Well?" Pressed Vegeta impatiently. Trunks turned around to look at Goten. He grabbed the other boy's arm and pulled the two of them outside the machine. He ran a hand through his lavender locks and took a moment to take in the situation.

"My name is, um, Saru," started Trunks, shoving his hands in his pockets. "This is my, uh, cousin, Bikou." So far so good.

"And?" Vegeta asked, brow raised.

The situation became more uncomfortable for Trunks with each word out of his father's mouth. The confident demi-Saiyen now felt vulnerable and confused. Luckily, Goten took charge. "We're from the future. But now the time machine is broken…"

"And so is part of my house," quipped Chi-Chi, glaring at the boys. The two attained identical sheepish smiles.

"Sorry, we didn't exactly know how to land it. We'll fix up your house, promise," Trunks said, looking at the house and then to the path of matted grass that the machine must have rolled from.

"Why does your machine have my company's logo on the side of it?" Bulma asked, stepping closer.

Trunks hadn't thought of that. Not thinking quickly enough to create a complex lie, he figured his stay would be easier if he told part of the truth.

"Because you built this. Or will build this," He corrected, brow furrowed. "So because you build this thing in the future from scratch, I'm guessing you could fix it up." He scratched the back of his head. "Well, I mean, I hope."

Bulma's eyes widened as she looked at the machine, then back to the boys, then back to the machine.

"You still haven't told us anything important," growled Vegeta, walking up to the two. He looked Trunks up and down, and Trunks was sure that their cover would be blown right then. He sucked his breath in and ran through a list of information he could give.

"Um, we're from 20 years in the future, here by accident, no other omniscient reason." Trunks explained, "So the sooner we get this fixed, the sooner we can leave you good people alone."

"Sounds like a plan," Goku said, finally speaking up. "Bulma, you think you can fix this?"

The blue haired woman bit her bottom lip and continued to examine the outside damage. "Well I guess that if I built this thing before, then I can do it again." She shrugged and looked at Chi-Chi, whose arms crossed in defiance.

"I don't know how all of you are so calm while a fourth of my house is crumbling because of this _thing_." A few bits of the home plummeted from the site of impact and skidded down the side of the machine for effect.

"Hey, if you two stay here with us while you wait, then you'll be able to fix up the house," suggested Goku, smiling.

"That would be great, thank you very much," replied Goten with a grin. Although grateful, Trunks inwardly rolled his eyes at Goku's stupidity. His father seemed to share his position.

"Kakoratt, what kind of idiot are you?" Vegeta demanded, his hands clenched at his sides. "You have no idea who these two brats are, yet you invite them to stay in your house?"

Goku chuckled, somehow even more stupidly than he had smiled. "Hey, they can't be that bad, they know Bulma in the future, and she must trust them a lot to use her time machine."

Vegeta face-palmed. Gohan looked up at the boys curiously. "You said you're here by accident right? Then where were you supposed to end up?"

Trunks glared at Goten with no intention of answering the question himself. Goten put his hand behind his head a let out a guilty laugh.

"Well… We weren't supposed to mess with the machine in the first place, so…" He coughed and shoved his hands into his pockets, making eye contact with the grass.

Piccolo grunted. Krillin lacked any communication skills due to, what Trunks always attributed any of his number of oddities to, his baldness.

"So you broke into my lab and stole my time machine?" Asked Bulma, shocked. Her hands moved to her blue sweater-covered hips and she took another step closer.

Trunks, feeling claustrophobic, took three steps back and held his hands up in defense. "No, it's not like that, really. We, um, we were just looking around and G-, er Bikou decided to climb inside of it and push a few buttons."

Bulma arched a brow and seemed to believe the story. She looked at the machine one last time before shrugging, again as she had done so often already at the confusing situation. "Alright, well let's get this baby back to the lab and I'll start working on it first thing tomorrow morning. Great party Chi-Chi, we'll see you guys soon!"

Trunks looked closely at the next set of events. He didn't know how casual the group would be about revealing their heritage and abilities, as Trunks was always told as a child to keep those differences a secret. However, Goten merely gave Vegeta the capsule for the machine, and once it was down to pocket size, the couple said their goodbyes and departed via motorized vehicle.

Krillin followed closely behind, saying he had a great time but that it was getting late. The sun started to set, and red fire spread across the sky.

Piccolo grunted. Trunks could only assume he meant 'goodbye' because he flew off seconds later. Trunks frowned, remembering Piccolo as much more articulate and social during his own time.

"Well let's get you two settled in then," Chi-Chi said with a huff as she removed the balloons from the mailbox.

About to address Goku as such, Trunks stopped himself. "I didn't catch any of your names."

"I'm Gohan," he replied immediately, walking towards the house. "I'm seven, but most people say that I don't act like it."

Trunks wanted to talk down to Gohan as if he was a child, but it didn't seem comfortable. "Nice to meet you Gohan, I'm 16. Bikou is 15. What was the party for?"

Goten and Trunks walked with Gohan to the house. Goku smiled at the question. "I just got back from a very long trip, so Chi-Chi decided to celebrate. I'm Goku, it's nice to meet you Saru and Bikou."

Goten grinned at his father, though Trunks knew it must have felt peculiar to do so.

After walking into the house, Trunks felt the seriousness of the situation set in. Goten followed Chi-Chi to help set up their room, and Goku and Gohan went into the kitchen. Sitting down on the couch, Trunks put his head in his hands. _We are so dead when we get home…_ He frowned. _If we get home._ He suddenly longed for the comfort of his own sheets, the security of his own timeline. The thoughts of never going home were forced from his head. He looked around the room and found it very different than the one he knew. Pictures of three people hung on the wall, not four. He remembered different books on the shelves, different shelves in the book cases.

"You alright?" Goku asked, sitting down next to Trunks. "Ha, sorry dumb question. It must be scary being so far away from home."

Trunks shrugged, not wanting to talk about it, as usual. He appreciated the fact that Goku was the same naïve, caring person as always. Enough to invite strangers into his house.

"So what's it like, the future?" Goku asked, obviously trying to make Trunks feel more at home. Trunks found questions about the future more lonely than comforting.

Again, Trunks shrugged. "Different, I guess. Happy, peaceful. Dad says that a lot of chaos happened before I was born and when I was little." He froze after his words, going over them again and again in his head for any clues of his identity. Finding none, he scolded himself for even bringing up family.

Goku didn't look surprised. He must have been used to the constant chaos in his life, and Trunks suddenly got a sense of appreciation from his mostly-peaceful home life. For a short moment, he thought about the hectic events that surrounded Majin Buu's arrival. He couldn't imagine a replay of that over and over for sixteen years.

Goku stood up and grinned. "I'm going to grab a snack, do you want anything?" Trunks almost made a comment about Sayian's endless appetite, but quickly realized that truth wasn't out yet. He nodded as Goku left.

Trunks got off the couch and went to find Goten and Chi-Chi about sleeping arrangements, attempting to be pro-active in the situation.


	3. Chapter 3

Later that night, when most of the Son family slept, Goten and Trunks lay awake. Trunks, in a sleeping bag on the floor, couldn't stop replaying the day's events. He frowned and chewed his lip, fearing that his stay would be much longer than anticipated. Rolling to his side, he took comfort in his mother's abilities and ingenuity.

Turning his thoughts to a more pressing matter, he started to devise a plausible back-story of Goten and him. Who were their parents? Did they know anyone besides Bulma in the future? He already ruled out knowing the Sons, as he pretended not to recognize Goku. He groaned as the questions became more and more complex. Would they show any hint of their heritage? Could they fly? How strong were the two? How should they react to any Sayian-like sign?

"Trunks?" Goten whispered from the bed, interrupting Trunks's circle of thoughts. The lavender haired boy rolled over to stare at the ceiling.

"What?" He asked, mildly irritated that Goten called him by his real name. He doubted that anyone else could hear, as Gohan was asleep on the living room couch and Goku and Chi-Chi slumbered in their own quarters.

"I'm sorry." He replied, in a quieter tone.

Trunks frowned. "Go to sleep." He didn't want to think about 'what if's, which is exactly where the conversation would lead.

Goten sat up in protest. "C'mon, you can't be mad at me forever." He wore a half-hopeful smile.

"I'm not mad; I just don't see the point in talking about it."

"You seem mad." A pause. "You always seem mad."

"Well, I'm not. I'm just a little irritated."

"You know, your dad always seems mad too. I bet that's where you get it."

"Sure."

"Your mom just seems pissy sometimes. I'm not sure if Bra is old enough to seem pissy yet."

"…"

"I still think it's funny that your dad, the prince of all Sayians, can be afraid of your human mom."

"Goten?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

With that, Trunks rolled back onto his side and shut his blue eyes, attempting once again to drift into sleep. Trunks knew that Goten meant well, but his anxiousness of the situation was prominent in his blabbering. He felt a short sense of sympathy for Goten, as this couldn't be easy for him either.

"Goodnight." Trunks said.

"Goodnight."

"So, are Nameks common in your time?" Gohan asked, eating breakfast much slower than his father.

Trunks and Goten glanced at each other. "What?" asked Trunks, brow furrowed.

"Well, you didn't seem very surprised to see a green man yesterday," Gohan explained.

Trunks looked at Gohan in surprise. _You didn't change much_, Trunks thought, _ridiculously observant. _

"Uhh…" Goten replied intelligently.

"We umm…" Trunks started, attempting to answer the question more knowledgably, but failing. Instead, he decided to screw everything and put things bluntly. "Neither I nor Bikou want to mess up our own timeline, so we can't exactly give out specific information."

Gohan seemed to take that into consideration, and he nodded accordingly. Goku, on the other hand, probably didn't hear anything over the slurping sounds that came from eating food at such a ridiculous rate.

Just as Chi-Chi started to scold her husband, the phone rang. She answered with a smile. "Bulma, good morning!" She paused, and Trunks listened are closely as he could to the conversation. "Um, one sec. Saru, when was that thing built?"

Trunks racked his brain for a plausible answer. He actually didn't know why his mother built such a contraption; he assumed that she feared another catastrophe when the machine would be necessity. "About fifteen years from now," he answered.

Chi-Chi relayed the information and frowned at Bulma's next words. "She says the parts haven't been built yet, that they are too high-tech. She says that her technology is just a few steps away from being able to replace the damaged parts, but that it might take a couple of months."

Immediately, Goten's mouth dropped and Trunks's eyes bulged. "What?" Trunks breathed. He imagined staying a few days, maybe a couple of weeks at most. He grew up around his mother's brilliance, never doubting her abilities. But a couple of months? Trunks physically and mentally deflated.

"Bulma says she's sorry," Chi-Chi said after she hung up the phone. Too busy in shock, the boys just nodded.

Goten snapped back to reality first. "The house won't take long to fix…" He started, his face showing great uncertainty. "So, when we aren't making our keep…"

"Well," Chi-Chi replied, sensing the upcoming question, "I'm sure I can find a couple months worth of chores to keep you two busy."

Trunks, trying his hardest to concentrate more on the present conversation than his worries, attempted to keep himself on track. "That's extremely appreciated Mrs. Son." Flawless manners never escaped him.

"Are either of you into Martial Arts?" Goku asked, finally ceasing his food inhalation.

Again, the boys glanced at each other. Feeling too overwhelmed, Trunks stood up and let Goten handle that answer. "Sorry, I need some time to think," Trunks said, putting his dishes in the sink, "May I be excused?"

Chi-Chi looked sympathetically at the boy and nodded. "Of course, but don't be gone for too long."

Once out the door, Trunks walked to one of his favourite places near Goten's house. Gohan showed him when he was small, saying that he loved the peaceful atmosphere it gave. Trunks agreed as he sat on a long next to the clichéd waterfall.

"I'm so dead," Trunks said, watching the fish make ripples in the river. "A couple of months here? That's ridiculous." He felt the creeping sensation of homesickness start to settle on the back on his arms and back. He took a deep breath and did his best to push away his fears.

_Dad would be pissed if he saw you so scared, _he thought. Suddenly, a thought that only approached teenagers hit him. _Do they even care that I'm gone?_

The Brief household wasn't the most peaceful. Fights over grades, training, and comparisons over took most conversations. Often, M. Trunks got brought up some way or another. Having a carbon copy of a 'more level-headed, responsible young man' as his parents' card of choice proved stressful at least.

Frustration built in his stomach from the thoughts of being potentially unwanted and the pressing situation. _If only I hadn't gone downstairs with you, damn it Goten!_ He thought, angrily. Naturally, his power level began to rise and he felt a violent need to release the pent up anger. Almost immediately, he created a ki ball in his palm and threw it at nearby rocks with a shout. Although that little of power didn't begin to give him the satisfaction that he longed for, all of his frustration seemed to vanish when he turned around…

To see a wide-eyed Gohan staring back at him.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I really appreciate any constructive criticism or compliments. I can't promise the consistent pace of updates, but if I abandon the story then I'll say so. And now, back to the story.

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Trunks cursed in his head, then out loud. Gohan still hadn't moved from his frozen state. "You just…." He started, defrosting. Trunks ran both his hands through his hair in frustration. Could anything go right? Apparently not.

"Argh!" He yelled, pulling at his locks. Gohan took a step back, looking more confused than scared. He turned defensive and glared at Trunks.

"Why are you lying to my family? Can Bikou do that too?" He asked, attaining a fighting stance.

Trunks lost his nerve. What was the point of pretending anyways? If his future was screwed, he already accomplished it by now. He felt his frustration rise at the failure of the last day and a half. Completely torn, he turned away from Gohan. "I... I don't know what to tell you! If I tell you too much, my life might never exist, don't you understand?" He asked, exasperated.

Gohan loosened his stance and seemed to consider Trunks's words. He paused for a moment and shook his head. "Saru, I can't live with someone that I don't trust. If you just told me, would your life be in jeopardy?"

He knew it was against his better judgment, but Trunks sighed and shook his head. He snapped his gaze back up to Gohan. "But you can't tell _anyone_."

Gohan hesitated, but then nodded in agreement.

Trunks bit his lip and shoved his hands into his jean pockets. He started to second guess his decision, but it served as his only option. He considered renting a hotel or something in the city so he wouldn't have to deal with the questioning, but he lacked sufficient funds. Pacing, he began to think of the exact words and how much he should reveal. "Alright," He said after a long pause. "My name is Trunks Brief."

He let that information sink in. Gohan was a smart kid, and Trunk's could tell he was already jamming different numbers and pair ups in his head.

"Bulma's son…" He whispered, staring closely at Trunks. "That explains the hair and the eyes. But your father?" Before Trunks could answer, shock spread across the younger boy's face. "Vegeta?"

Trunks nodded. "Dear old dad. Friendly, caring, everything a son could ask for," he said, rolling his eyes. "Take a seat," He offered, sitting down on a log. Gohan walked over and sat down beside him.

"Wow…" he said, "I never would've guessed. Maybe Vegeta isn't so bad after all."

Trunks grunted and crossed his arms. _Yeah, we'll see about that_. As much as he feared a change in his future from releasing the information, Trunks liked the comfort of being able to be honest with someone else. He grew up with Gohan and although they weren't the best of friends, he seemed like a more modified version of his father. Strong, loyal, just, but not nearly as naïve. Knowing how to read was a plus too.

"What about Bikou? Is he part Sayian as well?" Gohan asked, scratching his short hair.

"Son Goten is his name," Trunks replied, knowing that information would answer any immediate follow-up questions.

Gohan blinked. He stared off into space and then blinked again. A small smile spread across his face. "I get a little brother?"

Trunks couldn't help but smile from the boy's obvious joy. "I can't spoil too much about the future, but you two get along pretty well. We aren't exactly enemies either."

"So, everything turns out ok?" Gohan whispered, letting his childlike insecurities get the best of him. "I mean, we win in the end? Something bad always happens and… Well sometimes I wonder how long we can keep this up." He looked uncertain. "I shouldn't have said that. My dad gets stronger every day, so he'll be able to protect us from anything." He turned and grinned at Trunks. "Everything turns out ok. I get a little brother and we all live happily ever after, right?"

Trunks couldn't bring himself to say no. He couldn't tell him that soon, his father would die and leave them for seven years, something that Goten always resented. He couldn't say anything about the Androids or the Cell Games. Instead, he just nodded.

In the next moment, Trunks saw something that got mostly pushed away. He saw Gohan's childlike joy overwhelm the boy. Growing up in such hard times reflected on Gohan's future behavior, but seeing him so happy gave Trunks a better understanding of his friend. It momentarily shocked him that he had never seen such joy from Gohan before. Not before Pan was born, at least.

"So how did you two really get here?" Gohan asked, letting the moment pass. He returned back to the analytical seven-year old that so many relied on.

Trunks chuckled. "We told the truth about that. Goten mashed some buttons and the next thing we know, we're smashed into your house." He frowned, "Which we'll fix up soon. Chi-Chi always scares me when she's angry."

Gohan nodded seriously, which made Trunks wonder how harsh his upbringing really must've been. Shrugging off the thought, he stood up. "I think that's enough answers. Don't want to spoil the fun of life."

Gohan stood as well, but stopped. "It'll take some time to get used to all of this…" He started, "But I won't tell anyone, Saru."

Trunks smiled gratefully. Relieved that he didn't have to pretend 100% of the time, he knew he would be spending more time with Gohan. "We better head back and make sure that Goten, er, Bikou isn't doing anything stupid." Trunks frowned, "He tends to do that. A lot."

Gohan chuckled and nodded as the two began to walk. "Trunks?" he asked, putting his hands in his jean pockets.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for answering my questions."

"No problem."

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Good chapter? I hope it wasn't too corny, but I won't know unless you review :)


	5. Chapter 5

By the time Trunks and Gohan got back to the Son household, Bulma and Vegeta were there.

Trunks felt his insides freeze up and Gohan held a shocked expression on his face, obviously

remembering his recent knowledge. Vegeta stood in the kitchen with his arms crossed and a

scowl. Goten was going over blue prints on the kitchen table with Bulma, and he looked very

confused.

"The brats are back," Vegeta announced with contempt. Trunks, used to the behavior, ignored

him and walked over to the wooden kitchen table.

"Something wrong?" Trunks asked Bulma, eyeing the blueprints carefully. He could understand

the majority of it and frowned at the components that had been circled with black marker.

"These pieces are missing," she explained, pointing to the various circles, "They probably came

off in the initial crash, so you guys need to go find them."

Vegeta scoffed. "Like I should waste my time on some silly scavenger hunt?" Bulma's blue eyes

flashed dangerously at the remark. He paused. "And it's not like the half-breeds couldn't do it

themselves."

Trunks looked up, his intestines freezing. Goten, you better not have said anything. "Sorry?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "How stupid do you think I am? Your relaxed power level is higher

than Gohan's, which means you can't possibly be human. But you lack a tail so you aren't full

blood."

Trunks, semi-relieved that Goten wasn't the one who revealed the information, blinked. "And?"

"And you can go find those pieces of scrap metal by yourself. I have better things to do."

In the end, Vegeta ended up joining the group on the search. Goten and Trunks scaled the

mountain that the machine had landed on, while Goku and Gohan searched the 200 foot stretch

of grass that lead from the bottom of the mountain to their household. Vegeta just crossed his

arms while hovering above the four as a self-named 'supervisor'.

"Hey!" Gohan called after several hours of searching, "I think I found something!"

The four regrouped (bar Vegeta) on the grassy ground. "Yep," Trunks said as he examined the

small piece of metal in his hand, "That definitely looks like a part from the blueprints."

Gohan smiled triumphantly while Goten frowned. "How many did she say we need in total?"

"Fifteen."

The group groaned.

"I don't want to do this anymore," Goten whined four hours later. The sunset crept over the sky,

slowly, with shades of purple and swirls of pink.

"Do you want to get home or not?" Trunks asked, his hands covered in dirt and his clothes

covered in grass stains.

"But we've been out here all day. And I'm hungry." He crossed his arms childishly over his

chest with a humph.

"Me too!" Goku called from the grass. Even Vegeta seemed to approve of the complaining as

he looked extremely bored from his 'post'. He had already argued with Trunks multiple times

about the importance of finding the 'stupid parts' because he could be using his time on more

important things, like training.

Trunks sighed. Who made him ring leader anyways? He guessed he really did inherit his

bossiness from his mother. "Fine, let's go eat dinner. We can start back up tomorrow after G-, er,

Bikou and I fix up the house."

Again, a few bits of the home plummeted from the site of impact and rolled off into the grass for

effect.

And so they ate. And of course, Saiyans don't just eat, they _eat._ And eat and eat and eat. It wasn't until twenty minutes into the meal that any of them stopped to converse. Bulma was thoroughly disappointed at the lack of parts they had, but rationalized that it wasn't really her problem if the two boys stayed longer. But, after dinner, they went outside to look again.

To sum up that boring tale, Trunks reinforced his own decision to never leave Goten alone in his house ever again. Although, it was really starting to bother him at how stupid the entire situation was. Why they couldn't have travelled to the future where the technology to send them back was available was beyond him. But alas, their quest still lay ahead of them. So when they finally rounded up all the pieces several days later, Trunks was feeling quite good about himself.

"Give me the rest of the week, and I'll have this bad boy up and ready to go in no time." Bulma, as hard headed as she seemed at times, really gave a boost of confidence to Trunks, who had found her company to be almost uncomfortable. The constant worry that something would slip up was a detriment to Trunk's overall mood. The group, however, seemed to be more worried about getting them back to their own time than figuring out their identities.

Well, until Vegeta challenged Trunks to a spar.

ALRIGHT. I'M SORRY. I DISAPPEARED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND I APOLOGIZE. But now I know where this story is going YAY! So review if you still love me, which I hope you do, because I LOVE reviews. I know this is short, but the next one will be great and full of action and drama!


	6. Chapter 6

The 6th chapter guys! Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews! You have no idea how much I appreciate them, really. I really have no idea how long this story is going to be, but I'm glad you have all kept up so far! And so begins the next part. Enjoy!

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It shouldn't have been a surprise, really, that Vegeta had the urge to prove that his powers were superior to that of Goten and Trunks. It was something that Trunks had seen time and time again growing up. The amount of times that Trunks himself had faced off against his father seemed absurd, but it was all about training. Training, training, training, especially when the Buu fiasco came along and Trunks' innocence was ripped from his very core. Adjusting back to the new life had been slightly difficult, but the two boys had managed to enjoy the simple pleasures of normal high school.

But of course, Trunks did jump out of his skin when Vegeta demanded that their power levels be shown at their true potential. He was a blunt man who had no time for manners, so as Trunks and Goten continued rebuilding the house while Vegeta sparred with Goku, a ki blast came soaring towards them. It was small and slow (although incredibly fast to any human's eye), so Trunks deflected it with ease and irritation.

"Hey!" he shouted with the patience of his father, "We're trying to fix this so don't aim stuff over here!" In an instant, three more blasts came their way. Trunks deflected them easily again, but this time moved away from the house, in hopes that any other blasts would not attempt to destroy the already damaged house.

A piece of the house crumbled and rolled down the side for effect.

"What the—" but Trunks was cut off as five very quick blasts flew at him. He deflected them all and was beginning to get really ticked off. "Cut it out!"

He dodged two more before flying over to the source. Vegeta was suspended in the air near Goku, both looking quite rough from the spar. Trunks glared at the two of them, his arms crossed over his chest looking uncannily like his father.

"What's your deal?" he asked, irked.

Vegeta clenched his fists. "I didn't realize you were trained, although I suppose it was stupid of me to assume any differently. It's only fair if we know where we stand, power wise. It's time to spar, ready or not."

Despite the fact that no, that wasn't fair, Trunks really didn't have a choice. Before he could really think through anything, his father came at him with flying punches. He blocked them instinctively, unsure what to do in such a situation. Should he go on offense and attempt to beat Vegeta for the sake of ending the fight? Trunks was almost positive that his father's power level was only a fraction of what it would be in twenty years. But it wouldn't be wise to reveal that he posed a real threat to the earth and Vegeta's pride. However, Vegeta quickly caught on to this after several minutes of pure defense on Trunks' part.

"Why won't you fight back, coward!" He shouted.

Why Goku was supportive of Vegeta's decision to spar a fifteen year old was beyond Trunks. However, Goku's naivety probably factored in quite a bit, and Trunks wouldn't doubt that this was some 'safety measure'. Regardless, Goku had retreated to his home to help Goten fix up the house while Trunks attempted to not die.

_Dammit! _Trunks thought as he soared through the air, his jaw now aching. Perhaps Vegeta was just as quick as he was in his time; ouch that freakin hurt! He regained his composure just as Vegeta threw several ki blasts in his direction. This time, however, he didn't dodge them. It was the only way to keep his cover, he rationalized. Let Vegeta think he was much weaker than he actually was, as to not suspect anything out of the ordinary of their time line.

This plan was probably not the most physical safe, even though he knew that Vegeta wouldn't dare put him in any real danger. He took the blasts full on, smashing himself against the rocks behind him as a small dent in the earth was made. But he had to be convincing, so he got up and dodged several more blasts, but let the last few hit him. Again, he smashed into the ground and gritted his teeth at the pain. He pushed himself off the ground and started punching at his father at a speed that would enable Vegeta to both block him and possibly think he might not be so strong after all.

But another punch hit him, again and again. He bent over, clutching his gut as the wind was knocked out of him. How long would it take for him to lose?

Trunks had always been taught to be prideful. He was a Sayian, and that meant everything, especially considering his father was a prince. Vegeta had raised him to take nothing from no one, and long hours in the gym had reinforced that. Really, with that sort of a dad, who wouldn't grow up prideful? But he wasn't rude either, and his mother made sure of that. That was one of the largest contrasts between him and Goten; their ability to eat without looking like animals. Of course, he occasionally let his guard down and his Sayian appetite took over, but he at least had some sort of respectable dinner manners. It was a shame at how disgusting Goten could be at times.

As prideful at Trunks Brief was, he had to let that go for this moment in order to protect himself.

"Stop!" he yelled, "I surrender!"

He thought that this would get his father to stop beating on him, but it just angered him more.

"What are you hiding? You can't just be born with a power level like this, you've been trained. Stop acting like you can't keep up!"

But Trunks couldn't fight back, not with all the power he had.

"I surrender!" he repeated, but was just met with another punch to the jaw and a kick to the side. He fell to the ground again, Vegeta beating on him mercilessly.

Trunks felt a small spark start in his chest. What was the point? Maybe some part of him had been stupid enough to hope that his dad would be a different person in this era, but it was just about power. It was always about power. Power and pride and being so much better than everyone else. And everything was more important than that, so when Trunks wasn't the best he could be, he was just thrown under the bus. Not really anything impressive, just a tool that Vegeta used to prove that his kid was better than Goku's kid. And now, as he lay face first in the grass, it was the same scenario, only Vegeta didn't even know that he was a father.

It was starting to hurt.

Physically, yes, always, but emotionally as well. Never good enough. Try harder, Trunks, you can't just sit there and get beaten up. Get out there, Brat, and do something useful. You're so worthless, if you would just train harder! Punch, kick, smash, slam, smack.

So really, what was the point?

Trunks pushed off the ground, breathing heavily and his clothes torn. He stared at his father, who was mildly surprised that he finally got up.

"Ready to fight now, boy?"

Trunks clenched his hands into fists, grinding his teeth together. It was just the same as before, just as moronic and ego-centric as when he was a child.

"What's wrong?" Vegeta taunted with his trademark smirk, "Realizing that, although you have a high power level, you still won't be able to beat me?"

The anger inside Trunks grew, and so did his irrational thoughts. Trunks didn't do a lot of stupid things. Despite his animalistic tendencies at times, he strayed away from impulsive behavior for the most part. He was able to think through the consequences of actions and avoid being punished for something unnecessary. But now, now things were different. Now he had got sent twenty years into the past because of his idiot of a best friend, gotten stuck here for who knows how long, had to constantly worry and lie and fret about Goten or himself spilling something important out about the future, and now he was being beaten to a pulp by his father.

Trunks didn't make very good decisions when he was angry.

He lunged at his father so quickly that Vegeta barely had time to catch the punch. In less than two seconds, Vegeta was kicked fifty feet into the air, several ki blasts following him.

"There!" Trunks yelled, slowly losing control. Vegeta countered quickly, and Trunks was sent flying backwards into a mound of rocks.

He got up, furious, and soared closer to Vegeta.

And then it happened. The mistake that would cost him dearly. He clenched his fists, yelled, and his hair turned blonde and eyes turned green.

* * *

Dun dun dun DUNNNNN. Yeah, dramatic, right? I certainly think so, what about you, Trunks?

Trunks: Uh, I guess? Why are you asking me?

Right. Anyways, REVIEW. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you everyone for all of your fantastic reviews! They really inspire me to keep writing, which is what I love, and that means you get more chapters out more quickly, which is what you love. It's a win/win situation. I tried to reply to all of the reviews, and if I haven't then I apologize. To address a couple of issues—

There are several plot holes in the story. Firstly with Goku being there in the time before Frieza, and secondly the unmistakable fact that Goten is a walking, talking carbon copy of his father. I don't have an excuse, so you are just going to have to chalk that up to the fanfic gods. If you want a story without plot holes, then go look at my other story, 'Birth By Moon'. Yay for self advertising! Anyways, on with the story!

-

There were many things going through Trunks' mind at that point. Firstly, he was incredibly upset by the fact that he was pretty much outed now. Secondly, he remembered that only Goku was the known Super within this current time frame, pushing him further into the 'Hey. Your whole lying game? Yeah. Its up.' Box. There was no mistaking the incredible shock on the various faces around them, from Goku to Vegeta to even Goten, who really couldn't be sure what to do at this point. Trunks could've very much just made a mistake that could cost him his life- literally.

"You… What… I…." Vegeta spluttered, wide eyed and open mouthed. "This is impossible!"

Trunks quickly retreated to the ground next to the Son household where Goten stood, confused. What could they possibly do now? There was no lying out of this one. No combination of clever words could convince Vegeta and Goku that something wasn't very, very wrong with this situation.

"How are you that strong?" Vegeta demanded, his fists clenching as the shock wore off and the logic started working in his head. "There can only be one super Saiyan!"

Right. One. Or, you know, whoever trained hard enough. But he could understand his father's shock, and words really didn't seem to work at the moment. Part of him bitterly loved the fact that he was stronger than Vegeta right now. Sure, that was only because he had grown up with much more sophisticated and efficient ways to train, but that didn't mean that he didn't feel an incredible amount of satisfaction at the thought that he was finally better than his dear old dad. He let a small smile grace his features before remembering how very much screwed he was in the moment.

Trunks gave in. He put his hands in his hair out of frustration and then flew to the ground, tired of lying and ready to put the truth out in the open. Or, try to see how little he could tell without getting himself and Goten completely screwed over.

"That's not true," he said when all of them landed. Trunks turned back into his normal state and sighed heavily. "Anyone can become a super. It just takes a pissload amount of training, but its very possible."

This seemed to enrage Vegeta even moreso. "You're just a child! How can you possibly know these things? There is only supposed to be one."

Trunks rolled his eyes, tired of this. He started to count on his fingers.

"There are over five where I'm from."

Suddenly, Vegeta turned and pointed to Goten. "You! Are you one too?"

Goten took a step back and looked at his parents, then back to Vegeta. "I, well," he started, looked at Trunks, then back at Vegeta again. He sighed and slumped his shoulders forward, realizing the sham was up. "Yes."

Trunks figured that, after growing up as an actual Saiyan on actual Planet Vegeta and living that actual lifestyle, it was probably difficult for Vegeta to take in the fact that two half-breeds were proof that becoming a super-saiyan was possible for anyone. Trunks watched his father's face go from shock to disbelief to denial, back to shock, back to denial, back to disbelief and then shock again. He probably would've thought it to be comical, if their entire existence wasn't on the line.

"Over five? Who? Who are they!" Vegeta demanded. A flash of small revenge went through Trunks' mind. What if he didn't tell his father that he was one of them? What if he broke his spirit, told him he never got the satisfaction of becoming just as strong as Goku or even his son? Trunks liked that idea a little too much, but the more he thought about it, the more he decided not to completely crush his father. It would be a huge boost of pride, but it would probably deter Vegeta exploding in rage if he heard the other answer.

"Relax," Trunks said, crossing his arms over his chest in a very Vegeta-like manner, "You're one of them."

Vegeta began to have a series of odd facial expressions once more. Trunks couldn't remember the last time he saw his father that happy, and it wasn't a surprise when Vegeta attempted to hide it after several seconds.

"Of course," Vegeta replied, "I knew I'd make it if Kakarott could. I was just curious about the others."

At this point, Gohan stepped out and frowned at Trunks. "You didn't tell me you could do that. Does that mean I'll be able to as well?"

Trunks almost growled. "Would everyone just shut up!" He yelled, "I'm trying to make sure I don't say or do anything that will inhibit the birth of me and my friend here!"

"Wait," Goku said, his head cocked to the side, "You said he was your cousin, not your friend."

Damn. Damn it all. Neither of them were going to last much longer, and their time spent had already left considerable damage on whatever world they would go back to. Damn it all.

"No Goku, he's not my cousin. Right now, he's hardly my friend for getting us in this mess in the first place." Goten looked a bit hurt by that statement, but Trunks ignored him. "He's your son."


	8. Chapter 8

I know, I know, I said December, BUT I really think this chapter will make up for it. In my defense, I left my laptop at my university over break on accident so I haven't been able to access it until recently. Also, I'm aware that some of things aren't in canon and I apologize, this next section especially might be messed up but you should just go with it because you love the story and it makes things more interesting. Hope you enjoy!

Mirai Trunks, or just Trunks too himself, as he isn't aware of this little nickname, was having trouble trying to figure out how he should be feeling, emotionally. The entirety of humanity was depending on him, but he felt somewhat calm, excited even. He'd get to meet his dad, which was something he'd dreamed about since he was a boy. And he'd get to see Gohan alive again. Maybe he'd even let himself enjoy himself a bit—no, no, he had to get down to business. So he took a deep breath and entered the coordinates that would send him to the past.

Trunks could only hope that he or Goten wouldn't spontaneously disappear after revealing such a startling fact about their identities.

"You… You're my…" Goku started, shocked. Trunks almost rolled his eyes at Goku's inability to immediately comprehend this, but then realized how much of a shock it must be.

Goten gave an awkward half smile and a wave, looking sheepish.

"Wow! That's great! Another son! And a super sayian at that!"

It was almost like watching the first interaction at the World Martial Arts tournament a little under ten years before. Or some odd years in the future. Trunk's head was beginning to hurt.

Chi-Chi seemed to have the same sort of reaction. She immediately embraced Goten to the point of his face turning purple.

"Oh you are just too handsome! Gohan gets a little brother, this is fantastic!"

Goten gently pulled her off of him, as to regain oxygen in his system.

Trunks felt a little hurt watching their reaction. He knew he certainly wouldn't get that sort of attention if he revealed himself. He didn't think Vegeta would so much as crack a smile at the idea of having a son. And Bulma… She was inside somewhere, despite the ruckus. Maybe she'd be happy, but not at the idea of bearing a child with Vegeta. Trunks still had no idea how his parents got together in the first place. So he kept quiet.

He looked at Vegeta, who seemed to still be comprehending the fact that he was going to finally achieve his dream of going super. Trunks figured that finding out him having a son would probably just ruin his day. Especially since he wasn't even the one he wanted; no, Mirai Trunks would always best him without even realizing the impact he made. Trunks didn't like to think about how much his parents loved Mirai more than they loved him. All his life, it was Mirai this and Mirai that. He was more mature, more grounded, more appreciative, stable, stronger, wiser. Everything a parent could want in a son. Vegeta actually seemed proud to have helped create such a wonderous boy in a different time line. But besides the emotional Buu saga, no kind words could be heard from him about his real son.

Suddenly, all of the boys froze. They could all feel it, something, somehow, was coming. Or maybe it was already here. It was strong, but nothing Trunks couldn't take care of with a couple of hits. That wasn't what alarmed Trunks the most. He just didn't have a clue of who would be on earth right now. Could it be the androids? There was certainly more than one power level.

"What is that?" Vegeta asked, eyes wide, looking towards the source of the power as if he could see it from miles away.

"I don't know," Goku said, the happiness of finding out he had another son starting to seep from his face as he concentrated on the current issue.

Trunks was still doing math in his head. The androids wouldn't be there until he was born, which certainly wasn't yet. He looked at Goten, who looked just as confused. An awful thought came over him. What if their time travelling had somehow triggered this thing into the time line? But then he suddenly made sense of the situation. Goten seemed to as well.

"Trunks, we need to go. Like, now. We can't be here." It was as serious as Trunks had ever seen Goten.

Luckily, Vegeta was able to piece together the power level before Trunks opened his mouth to reveal the name on accident.

"Its… Its Frieza! But… But how?" He nearly choked on his words, horror in his eyes. Gohan looked just as terrified, and Goku looked extremely angry.

Before they knew it, the two figures appeared in front of them. The mechanically renewed Frieza, and his father, King Cold.

Yes. I'm cruel and I've left you hanging again. But don't you love it? Review!


	9. Chapter 9

So, yeah, I skipped over the Black Mist and Garlic Jr and such but hey, that wouldn't be very interesting pertaining to the plot I have in mind. This is my Valentines day gift to you! Review : )

Goten grabbed Trunks' arm and pulled up away from the group, flying a bit away. "We can't be here. We shouldn't have been here in the first place, and I know that's my fault, but this is especially important that we get out of here, now."

Trunks knew being there when Frieza was there wasn't a good idea, but he wasn't as upset as Goten seemed to be.

"Where are you two going? We're going to need your help against Frieza, especially if there's an equally powerful person with him!" Vegeta called from below, obviously still trying to get his bearings on the situation.

"We are leaving. Now." Goten pulled Trunks further away from the group, flying quickly now. Trunks pulled them to a stop.

"Yeah, I realized we're screwed, but why are you freaking out?" Trunks wasn't used to Goten being a step ahead of him.

"Listen," Goten said, grabbing Trunks' shoulders and turning him to face him. His expression reminded him of Gohan, considering that Goten was rarely this serious. "Do you remember what our parents told us about Cell? How he was created to be based off of the strongest fighters on earth, including Freiza and King Cold, who are on earth right now. So, that means Dr. Gero is somehow collecting information right now, and if we show off how strong we are,"

Trunks cut him off, his eyes wide, "Then Cell will be that much stronger. Dammit, you're right. Damn, damn, damn." Trunks put his hands in his lavender hair. This was getting considerably more complicated. He had completely forgotten about it. Maybe Goten knew more about the Cell games because he had such an emotional reaction to his father leaving them for 7 years. Trunks stopped wanting to hear about the Cell games because of all the coos his parents would get over Mirai Trunks and his success.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Trunks asked, realizing they needed to get out of there before the Z fighters made them help using forceful measures. Maybe not the Z fighters, but certainly Vegeta.

"I don't know," Goten said, flying again. Trunks kept up and Goten flew faster. "But we have to keep out power levels down and stay out of this until Mirai Trunks slices up Frieza and gives dad his medicine."

Except, of course, that's not how things worked out. Within seconds, Vegeta had flew over to them and grabbed the two by the back of their shirts. Trunks went to power up and fly away, but then realized he couldn't raise his power level higher than his fathers for fear of showing Dr. Gero how strong he was. Luckily, he hadn't even gotten close to his full power when he made the angry change into Super when his dad wouldn't let him give up the fight.

"Vegeta, you don't understand. We have to let you do this. We can't interfere here. Especially not with this." Trunks felt his stomach drop at the thought of meeting Mirai Trunks face to face. His whole life he had been compared to this person, told how much better he was than him, and he couldn't bear the idea that that might be true.

"You two are much stronger than us, I don't know how but you are and I'm certainly not going to let you sit by and watch us potentially get killed because you don't want to mess up some stupid time line."

Trunks could tell that his father's fear was getting the best of him, but he was still frustrated that he wouldn't listen. Could he blame him though? It wasn't as if he wanted to mess up the time line, but his life was on the line.

And so Vegeta dragged them to the site where Frieza and King Cold had landed, along with the rest of the Z fighters and Bulma, who was clinging to Yamcha at the scene.

The group stayed back, not wanting to be seen by Frieza just yet. Trunks tried to disctract himself from the earths impending doom by calculating the probability of escaping the situation.

"What are we going to do?" asked Goten, keeping away from the group. Everyone looked tense and ready to burst into flight at any given moment.

"Well, if mom tells the story right, Mirai Trunks should get here soon and everyone will fly off to get a closer look. We could try to get away then." But even then, he didn't sound convinced. Hardly after the words had come out of his mouth, Mirai Trunks appeared in the sky. He was close enough for the bulk of the group to feel his power level, but far enough away not to see his face.

"Now there are three huge power levels!" Vegeta exclaimed, looking towards the sky. "This is ridiculous!"

"I don't know, Vegeta," Goku said, "That third one doesn't feel… I don't know, as angry. I think he might be on our side!"

Trunks and Goten began to walk away from the group.

"What? I don't see anything. What are you guys talking about?" Bulma asked.

And, shortly, Frieza and King Cold were killed and the group was hurrying to watch the fight. Trunks and Goten attempted to fly away, but Vegeta grabbed the both of them and dragged them once more.

With Frieza and King Cold out of the way, the group was very weary of this mysterious youth. They began to debate among themselves the plan of action. But, just as Trunks' mom had told him in the stories, Mirai Trunks turned around and waved all of them over. Trunks hated the feelings that were going on inside of him at that moment. He didn't want to even get a glimpse of his other self, and now things were about to get extremely complicated. He turned his back to counterpart and pulled up his hood of his hoody, hiding his hair and obscuring his face. But that wouldn't fool the other for long. In fact, Vegeta wouldn't let him nor Goten go at all, so as they walked towards Mirai Trunks, they heard him gasp and felt him look over in their direction.


	10. Chapter 10

Trunks remembered the first time he ever heard about his other self. He had been four years old, excitedly looking about his bedroom for a toy that his parents had bought him several days before. It became clear to him over a short amount of time that the toy wasn't likely to return. He scrambled around, becoming more upset with the idea that he had lost something that was important to him. Eventually, he threw a huge tantrum about the small ordeal, and he remembered hearing his father snap, "I'm sure Trunks wouldn't pitch a fit over something so small."

That comment seemed to open up a doorway to many other small, snide remarks that his parents probably thought he couldn't hear half the time. It didn't take long for Trunks to realize that his parents were idolizing someone he could never live up to. There was always something, no matter how much Trunks tried. His manners were never polite enough, his temper never calm enough, his power level never strong enough. Even when he showed his father his transformation at eight years old, he still later made a remark about how the other Trunks probably transformed at a younger age.

Understandably, this drove the kid mad. Not that anyone could see the cogs in his head slowly turning from a healthy, functioning ten year old to an exhausted, unappreciated fifteen year old.

It stopped mattering what he did. It was never going to compare to the idealistic son in their head. But what did they expect? The other Trunks grew up in a place where there was constant fear. The kind of place where he couldn't have a normal childhood. The kind of place where kids grow up far too fast against their will. Yet Trunks was spoiled rotten for as long as he could remember, and it took a decent amount of maturity to get past that on any level. How could his parents expect him to grow into someone who he was so different from?

Sometimes, Trunks just wanted to stand in the middle of Capsule Corp and scream at the top of his lungs, "I AM TRUNKS!" over and over again until his parents really understood what all of this had done to him. He could compensate by always being an inch stronger than Goten, because that made his father very proud, but he failed at being stronger than Gohan, which always made his father sneer. The standards crushed him for as long as he could remember.

And now, in a ridiculous turn of events, the person who caused all that was staring right at him with a dumbstruck look on his face.

The dumbstruck look quickly changed to one of confusion and then to panic. He didn't have time to really process what was going on, though, because soon enough, Frieza was make remarks to him. And soon enough, just like the story had always been told, M. Trunks went super and sliced Frieza into cubes. King Cold met his demise shortly after. Trunks could see how impressive that could be, considering the power levels. But he was definitely stronger than M. Trunks, based on what he was reading from him now.

It was a lot to the group to react to. It didn't take long for them to realize that the person next to them and the person cutting up Frieza were one in the same. It became even more apparent when M. Trunks flew over to Trunks and pulled him and Goten away from the group.

"Don't touch me," Trunks spat, suddenly infuriated by M. Trunks' presence.

"What. The hell. Is going on!" Vegeta shouted from the ground, flying over to them. "Now there are two of you?!"

"Shut up!" Both Trunks yelled at the same time, much to their surprise. Neither of them wanted to deal with having to explain anything to their father yet.

"This is bad…" Goten muttered, looking between the two Trunks. "Like, it was bad before, but now…"

"I know, Goten," Trunks replied, his eyes not leaving M. Trunks.

"Goten? What?" M. Trunks said, perplexed by the existence of this new Son boy. Clearly, this wasn't what he had expected when he travelled here.

M. Trunks was trying to think quickly, trying to process everything at once. "How are you even here? You're younger than me and I clearly haven't travelled here before. This doesn't make any sense. Mom never said anything about seeing two of me. Or you, for that matter. Gohan doesn't have a brother-"

It was in that moment where realization dawned up M. Trunks' face. Trunks could almost see the cogs moving about in his other's brain.

"It works, doesn't it?" M. Trunks breathed. "I come back and fix this and everyone lives long enough for Goku to have another son."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Trunks snapped. "Get out of your dreaming mood and listen. Sure, things worked out, but we've come back and now things are more complicated. We know how this time line is supposed to work, and this isn't it. We've already blown Goten's cover and it won't take long for them to work out who we are."

M. Trunks studied Trunks' face for a few moments, trying to digest this new information.

"Would you stop acting like I'm not right here?" Goten said, his nerves of the situation finally showing through. It was difficult enough to deal with being in this place, having to see the bond that Gohan had with his dad, having to adjust and figure out what this meant for his future. On top of that, he felt like he was taking a back seat in this circumstance and he was tired of being walked on.

"I'm dealing with all this too, you know. Stop acting like this is just your sob story. My life is on the line, too."

Both Trunks went silent. Trunks looked away guiltily, knowing that Goten was right. M. Trunks just continued to stare.

"You're going to have to be more specific about what's going on." M. Trunks was looking more and more frustrated the second. Trunks couldn't blame him. There was a certain level of sympathy that he held for his other self that surprised him, but he quickly shut it away. He wasn't going to take fondly to the person who over shadowed him his entire life.

There was a long silence, and then Goten spoke up.

"We're from the future, too. A future where you succeed in what you came here for, and what you'll come back again for," Both Trunks looked at Goten strangely with that comment. Trunks didn't want more information than necessary to be given and M Trunks was clearly confused. "But the point is that we all need to go home. Because of all the different timelines we've created, I don't know if we'll be able to get back to the right one. Whos to say that we get into the time machine and end up where he's from?" Goten asked, notioning towards M. Trunks. "Or if he gets his time machine and ends up where we are from?"

And that brought a new level of horror to the situation that none of them had prepared for.


End file.
